Brian Scalabrine has always made it clear that regular hoopers aren’t near his level. The 2008 NBA champion has taught this lesson repeatedly, yet people don’t seem to understand how things work in the NBA.
The White Mamba wasn’t the flashiest player in the association. Still, he knew how to remain 11 years playing at the highest level, even if he was one of those towel guys that only played in garbage time.
He recently spoke with Miami Heat’s sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, remembering the times he challenged people to play one-on-one games, beating everybody who believed they stood a chance. Scal said that the gap between him and non-NBA players is enormous, and nobody could beat him (3:25).
“I played in this YMCA; I dropped 60 one game. I wasn’t trying to brag or anything like that. I was like, ‘yeah, I had a good game, had 60 the other night in my rec league.’ And so people immediately started tweeting, ‘you suck, Scal, I’ll beat you.’ I’m like, ‘listen, I may suck for an NBA player, those guys are pretty good, but I don’t suck compared to you. Like you suck, compared to me. I suck compared to Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, and those guys.”
Then he explained what it took to him to be a valuable piece for an NBA team. He needed to be mentally fast to read the game, which is why he spent 11 seasons in the association.
Sometimes people don’t realize how much it takes for these players to make it to the league, but it’s a lot. Recently, NBA fans went crazy after Moe Wagner carried Team Germany to a big win over Brazil in the Olympic qualifiers.
He showed up and went off against the South American team, with plenty of fans realizing that even the players who don’t make the headlines are incredible ballers.
Brian demonstrated that with his ‘Scallenge,’ playing college-level players and beating them every single time. Before you issue a challenge to an NBA player, whoever that is, think twice before you end up regretting that decision.
